Paris, Ontario

Paris (2001 population 9,881) is a town on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. In 1999 its town government was amalgamated into the County of Brant.

The town was first settled in 1829 when Hiram Capron bought the land and built a mill on the present townsite. The town of Paris was officially established in 1850. Since the late 1990s Paris has experienced substantial population growth, which may be in part attributed to the rising popularity of rural communities among GTA bound commuters( see bedroom community).

Many of the early buildings were made with abundant amounts of locally made plaster of Paris, which lead to the town's current name.

The first long distance telephone call was made on August 10, 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell from the family homestead in Brantford, Ontario to his assistant located on Grand River Street North in Paris, Ontario.

Notable Parisians include former olympian, Toronto Maple Leafs player and MPP Syl Apps, former New York Rangers player and Stanley Cup champion Jay Wells, and olympic triathlete Natasha Filliol( nee Yaremczuk) .

Paris is referred to not only as "the cobblestone capital of Canada" ( in reference to a number of aged cobblestone houses ) , but also as "the prettiest town in Canada" . Paris is located at 43º12'N, 80º23'W.